Cosmetic applicator



Patented Feb. 2, 1943 'QUNlTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COSMETIC APPLICATOR Charles A. Mureau, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 14, 1939, Serial No. 289,958

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for facilitating the application ofcosmetics and relates more particularly to a device for containing andapplyingl paste lip rouge, mascara, and the like. A general object ofthis invention is to provide a compact and convenient device of thecharacter referred to for containing two cosmetics of different shadesor characters, and embodying novel means for facilitating theapplication of the cosmetics.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cosmetic applicatoradapted to be carried in a pocketbook, or the like, and embodying twoseparate reservoirs for containing cosmetics, two brushes for applyingthe cosmetics, and simple, effective means for' ejecting the cosmeticsfrom the reservoirs to their respective brushes for application thereby.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterreferred to in which the cosmetic ejecting means are separately orindividually operable.

Another object of this invention is to provid novel cosmetic ejectingmeans that are simple and inexpensive and yet effective and dependable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the charactermentioned in which re placement supplies of cosmetic may be easilysupplied to the individual cosmetic chambers without removing thecontainer or the heads of the container. K

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterreferred to in which the stems of the ejecting pistons aretelescopically related in a novel manner to conserve space.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cosmetic applicatorof the character referred to that is small and compact and shaped andproportioned to be conveniently handled and operated. Y

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of a typicalpreferred form andV application of the invention, throughout whichdescription reference is made to the ac companying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved 4cosmetic applicator of thepresent invention showing one of the brush covers inlongitudinal crosssection. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary 1ongitudinal detailedsectional view of the device showing certain parts in elevation. Fig. 3is an enlarged transverse detailed sectional View taken as indicated byIline 3--3 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 4

is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the brush means.

The device provided by this invention may be said to comprise,generally, a body I9, two cosmetic reservoirs or containers I I arrangedin the body ii] for independent turning, cosmetic applying means I2 onthe containers I I, and means I3 for forcing or ejecting the cosmeticfrom the containers I I to the means I2.

The body I0 is an elongate tubular member that carries the two cosmeticcontainers I i The central longitudinal opening I4 of the body lil isprovided at its opposite ends with sockets I5 of enlarged diameter. Thesockets I5 are of equal depth and diameter and are cylindrical. Anannular internal flange I6 is provided on the wall of the body openingI4 at the inner end of one of the sockets I5. The body Ill may be formedof any selected material and may be shaped, finished, -and ornamented,as desired. In the case illustrated the body I il has a cylindricalexternal surface and is provided midway between its ends with a seriesof rings or beads |68.

The containers I I are provided to contain supplies of the cosmetics.The cosmetic containers I I are hollow or tubular members havingchambers or longitudinal openings Il which serve as reservoirs for thecosmetics. In accordance with the invention the containers II may bealike or identical and are arranged to project from the opposite ends ofthe body Iii. The inner portions of the containers II are shaped andproportioned to be rotatably received in the body sockets I5. Series ofexternal annular beads I8 may be provided on the containers II tocomplement the body beads |63. The beads I8 form or provide shoulders I9which oppose or abut the opposite ends of the body I. The outer portionsof the containers II are formed to receive the applying means I2. Theouter end parts of the containers II are rounded or tapered and openings2i! of reduced diameter extend centrally through the reduced containerparts to join the openings Il.

Novel means are provided to rotatably connect the containers II with thebody l0. Annular grooves 2I are provided in the walls of the sockets I5and annular grooves 22 are provided in the containers I I to registerwith the grooves 2i. The grooves 2l and 22 are flat-walled and arepreferably proportioned to form or provide annular spaces of square orrectangular cross section. Split spring rings 23 are arranged in thepairs of registering grooves 2I and 22 to hold the containers II againstlongitudinal movement relative to the body IIJ. The spring rings 23 aresquare or rectangular in cross section to cooperate with the flat Wallsof the grooves 2| and 22. The grooves 22 in the containers II aresufiiciently deep to fully receive the rings 23 when the rings arecompressed, When assembling a container II in the body I9 a ring 23 isarranged in the groove 22 of the container and is compressed orcontracted and the inner portion of the container is inserted in a bodysocket I5. When the container has reached its final position the ring 23expands into the surrounding groove 2|. The groove 2| limits theexpansion of the spring ring 23 and holds the spring ring partiallycontracted so that its inner portion cooperates with the groove 22 inthe container II. It is preferred to connect the spring rings 23 withthe containers I I to turn with the containers. Each spring ring 23 hasan inturned end part 24 received in a radial socket Z5 in its respectivecontainer II. The engagement of the parts 24 in the sockets 25 holds therings 23 against turning relative to the containers. It will be seenthat the containers II connected with the body Iii by the spring rings23 are free to be independently turned relative to the body I and yetare dependably held against longitudinal movement and againstdisplacement from the body.

The cosmetic applying means I2 are provided to facilitate theapplication of the cosmetics. An applying means I2 is provided on theouter end of each container I I. In the preferred form of the inventionthe means I2 are in the nature of brush means and the two means I2 areidentical.

Each applying means I2 includes a tubular brush carrier 2S. The carriers26 have threaded cylindrical inner parts 21 adapted to be threaded inthe openings 2t! of the containers II. 'The outer end parts of thecarriers 26 are tapered to complement the tapered end portions of thecontainers I I. In the case illustrated the tapered outer parts of thecarriers 23 have series of annular beads 28 similar to the beads Ia andI8. The central longitudinal openings 29 of the tubular carriers 26 arelongitudinally tapered throughout their major portions. In the preferredconstruction the inner end parts of the openings 29 are cylindrical andthe openings taper from these cylindrical parts to the forward ends ofthe carriers 26.

The brush means II further include brush tufts 3D set or secured in theopenings 29 of the carriers 2%. The tufts 3) comprise groups of bristlesarranged longitudinally in the openings 29 to project beyond the outerends of the carriers 26. The inner portions of the brush bristles arefixed in the tapered openings 2S. I prefer to set the inner parts of thebristles in a mixture of wax and rosin or a mixture of wax and syntheticwax that is sufficiently hard to dependably retain the bristles and yetwill not crack or flake away. The wax and rosin mixture employed to setthe brush tufts 39 is unaffected by the cosmetics and will not lose orfree hard particles that may become mixed with the cosmetics.

The applying means I2 further include elongate shanks or tubes 3iarranged longitudinally in the set inner parts of the brush tufts 30.The tubes 3| are considerably smaller in diameter than the openings 29to leave annular spaces for the set brush bristles. Openings 432 oflarge diameter extend through thetubes 3| to conduct the cosmetics fromthe openings I'I to the forward portions of the brush tufts 30. It ispreferred to relate the parts so that the forward ends of the tubes 3|are substantially ush with the forward ends of the carriers 26. Theforward end parts of the tubes 3| are preferably tapered. I prefer toform the tubes 3| of metal and the forward parts of the tubes may bereduced or tapered by a spinning operation. Enlargements or anges 33 areprovided on the rear or inner ends of the tubes 3|. The fianges 33 arepressed or force-fitted in the cylindrical inner parts of the openings29. The flanges 33 thus secured in the openings 29 retain the tubes 3|in place and assist in securing the brush tufts 39 in the carriers.

In assembling an applying means I2 the brush tuft 3i) is first set inthe opening 29 and a heated pointedtool is then thrust through the waxand rosin mixture in which the bristles are set. The tube 3| is thenarranged in the opening formed by ,the heated tool. It is to be notedthat the brush tufts 30 are dependably retained byA the wax and rosinmixture and by the wedging action of the tapered openings 29. The tubes3| arranged longitudinally in the inner parts of the tufts 39 confineand assist in retaining the brush tufts. The beads 28 form effectivegrips by means of which the carriers 23 may be unthreaded from theopenings 29. rfhus the means I2 may be removed from the carriers I I toallow the replenishing of the cosmetic supplies of the containers and topermit the replacement of the vbrush means I2.

Removable caps 34 are applied to the containers I I to enclose andprotect the brush tufts 30. The caps 34 are formed to be removablypressed on the projecting portions of the carriers II. The sockets oropenings 35 in the caps 34 receive the brush tufts 3o with clearance sothat the caps do not distort the brush tufts. When the caps 34 are inplace they prevent the cosmetics in the brush tufts 39 from soiling theclothing, hands, etc. The exteriors of the caps 34 may be suitablyshaped, for example, they may be stepped or graduated in diameter, vasillustrated.

The -ejecting means I3 are separately or independently operable to forcethe cosmetics from the openings I'I into the brush tufts 30. There is anejecting means I3 for each container The ejecting means I3 each includea piston or plunger 3S operable in an opening 4 I1. The plungers 39 haveannular peripheral grooves 31 and split sealing elements 38 of rubber,leather, or the like, are set in the grooves 3l to slidably seal withthe walls of the openings II. The grooves '31 are of substantial depthto dependably retain'the sealing elements 38. -One plunger 36 is securedto the end of a tubular stern 39 while the other plunger 33 is fixed tothe end of a stem 40 that may be solid. The stems 39 and 40 aretelescopically arr-anged, that is, the stem 4U is received in the stem39. As illustrated in Fig. 2 the stem 40 is received in the stem 39 withsubstantial clearance and does not cooperate with the stem. 39. Thetubular stem 39 has a thread 4I vmating with a thread on the wall of thebody opening I4. The thread 4I may extend throughout the length of thestem 39. The stem 40 has a thread 42 mating with a thread on theinternal surface of the flange I6.

Means are provided to prevent relative rotation between the containers II and vtheir respective plungers 3S whereby rotation of a container I Irelative to the body 'I9 threads Vor advances its plungers 36.' Thesemeans comprise flat surfaces 43 on the walls of the openings l1. Inpractice there may be two diametrically opposite and substantiallyparallel surfaces 43 on the wall of each opening I1. The plungers 3Bhave at peripheral surfaces 44 slidably engaging the surfaces 43. Theengagement of the surfaces -44 with the surfaces 43 holds the plungers36 and their respective stems 39 and 40 against rotation relative to therelated containers Il so that turning of the containers relative to thebody l results in threading or advancement of the stems and plungers.The sealing elements 38 of the plungers 36 are cut away or provided withflat partsfor sealing with the surfaces 43.

In the use or operation of the device of the invention the openings l'lmay be loaded or provided with cosmetics before the carriers 26 arethreaded in the openings 20. The plungers 3E are, of course, initiallyretracted. The openings I1 of the containers Il may be provided withcosmetics of diierent kinds or of diierent shades or textures. The caps34 are normally in place so that the device may be carried in a hand bagor the like without injuring the brush tufts 30 and without soiling theclothing, etc. When it is desired to apply one of the cosmetics the cap34 is removed from one end of the device and the body I0 and theselected container H are turned one relative to the other. The body I0and the container I l may be conveniently grasped for this operation.Turning of the container Il relative to the body I0 results in operationor advancement of the related plunger 36 and the plunger movingoutwardly in the opening I1 ejects a portion of the cosmetic from theopening to the brush tuft 30. The cosmetic thus supplied to the brushtuft 30 may be applied by means of the brush tuft. The body Il! and theassociated containers Il constitute an effective handle for the brushtutt to facilitate the application of the cosmetic. Following the-application of the cosmetic the cap 34 is re-applied to the container lI. The supplies of the cosmetics may be readily replenished by merelyretracting the plungers 36 to their initial positions and removing thecarriers 26 to allow the cosmetics to be introduced to the openings I1.The carriers 26 are readily threaded from the openings 20. The device issmall and compact and is adapted to contain adequate supplies ofcosmetics.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specicdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variationsor modifications that may appear to those skilled in the 4art or fallWithin the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a cosmetic applicator, a body adapted to Abe employed as a handle, acontainer for cosmetics entered in an end of the body to extendtherefrom, a brush on the container for applying the cosmetics receivedtherefrom, means retaining the container in the body for rotation andholding the container against longitudinal movement relative to thebody, a plunger operable in the container, a stem on the plunger havingthreaded cooperation with the body, and means holding the stern againstturning relative to the container whereby turning of the containerrelative to the body causes ejection of the cosmetics to the brush.

CHARLES A. MUREAU.

